Bottom for baskets or demijohns, &amp;c.



PATENTBD MAR. 17, 1908.

J. A. GRIFFIN. BOTTOM POR BASKETS 0R DEMIJOHNS, 5o.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 39.1907.

L'HZ ..1 JAMES A. GRIFFIN, OF OLEAN, NEW YORK.

BOTTOM FOR BASKETS OR DEMIJ'OHNS, 85C.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 17, 1908.

Application filed, August 30, 1907. Serial No. 390,788.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JAMES A. GRIFFIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Olean, in the county of Cattaraugus and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottoms for Baskets or Demijohns and the liike, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in wicker work and more particularly to the bottom for a wicker basket, demijohn covering or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved centerpiece for a bottom of this character, which will effectively unite and protect the inner ends of the outwardly or radially extending splints of the wicker work.

Another object of my invention is to provide a centerpiece of this character which may be stamped from a single piece of sheet metal and thus be produced at a comparatively sniall cost.

l/Vith the above and. other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel YFeatures ol construction and the combination and arrangement oi' parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a plan view of the lower face ol the bottom of a wicker basket, deinijohn covering or the like Fig. 2 is a similar view ol' the other or upper side ol. the same; and Fig. 3 isl a transverse section taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

In the drawing l denotes my improved centerpiece which serves to unite and protect the inner ends of the outwardly or radially projecting splints 2 of the wicker work 3. The latter may be oi' any suitable form and construction, but as shown consists of the splints 2 of rattan or any other suitable material, and a woven portion fr which may be of rattan, wire, paper, string or any other suitable material woven upon the splints 2 and around the centerpiece l as shown in the drawings or in any suitable manner.

The' centerpiece or member l is in the form of a plate of circular or other shape and is preferably constructed of a suitable sheet metal such as tin, copper, sheet iron or the like. In the outer portion of the plate are formed inner and outer series of apertures 5, 6' to receive the inner ends of the splints 2, and in said portion of the plate are also formed channels 7, S arranged in radial alinement with each other and with the apertures 5, 6 and adapted to receive the splints as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The radially extending channels or seats 7 are stamped upwardly in the lower face of the plate and are arranged between the apertures or holes 5, 6, while the channels or seats 8 are stamped downwardly in the upper face of the plate and extend from the apertures 6 to the outer edge of the plate. By constructing the plate or centerpiece in this manner with the radially alined channels and apertures, it will be seen that the inner ends of the splints 2 may be readily attached to the plate by passing them through the channels and apertures from the outer edge ol the same; and that the plate will effectively unite them and hold them in spaced relation and at the same time eifectively protect them. It will be noted that the centerpiece may be produced at comparatively small cost since it may be stamped from a sheet ol metal by a suitable machine. In the central portion of the plate is formed a concentric aperture 9 and another aperture 10 a suitable distance from the central one. These apertures are adapted to receive a suitable holding means for preventing the centerpiece from turning while the wicker work is being formed upon it.

Vhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment ol my invention it will be understood that I do not limit .myself to the precise showing herein set iorth, since various changes in the form, proportion and minor details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacriiicing any of the advantages oi the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

The bottom for a wicker basket or the like, comprising a 'flat sheet metal centerpiece having inner and outer annular series of apertures, the apertures of the two series being arranged in radial alinement, said centerpiece also having reversely disposed radially alined seats or channels arranged in inner and outer series, the seats or channels of the tWo series being stamped in opposite In testimony Whereof I hereunto aX my faces of the plate7 splints radiating from said signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

centerpiece and having their inner ends enl gaged With said seats aand extending through JAMES A' GRIFFIN' 5 said apertures, and a Woven portion ar- Vitnesses:

ranged upon the splintsl around the oenter- HANNAH E. GRIFFIN,

piece, substantially as set forth. W. B. REYNOLDS. 

